~~~~A~~~~
Knowing one of my boys will be providing me with Caff-Pow I duck into the little bakery down the street from the Yard for pastries. I find myself almost giggling at the fact that my boots don’t make a noise. I’m finally mastering Gibbs’ technique.
People watching, I hear them before I see them: Brenda from Accounting and Victoria from Legal.
“… Probably told him she was pregnant.”
“Catty much Vic?”
“You tell me why a ten like Agent Kohl marries a six like Annie Adler.”
“Because they have a lot in common and Annie’s discreet,” Brenda shoots back.
There’s a long silence and then Victoria drawls out “Ohhh! He’s into-?”
“Yup. Didja hear the latest from upstairs?”
“Nothing new, no. What happened?”
“We lost another one.”
“Who?”
“DiNozzo.”
“There’s no way!”
“I swear. He’s involved.”
“With who?”
“No one seems to know. But he’s stopped flirting, he’s stopped looking, and he’s most definitely getting it somewhere. He had one hell of a hickey on Monday.”
I hadn’t noticed a hickey, but then I don’t look at Tony as a piece of meat.
“Not really such a loss though.”
“What do you mean?”
“Would you ever really trust him not to stray?”
At that I can’t help but stomp over and state, calmly but decisively, “Tony DiNozzo is the most loyal soul in the whole of Washington and worth a thousand of you two cackling harpies. And if I ever hear you talking about him behind his back again you will never know what hit you. Get me?”
The slack jawed stares they give me are answer enough and I return to the counter to place my order.
~~~~Z~~~~
It is all over the building that Abby and Tony are dating. It is not the first time the rumor has circulated and it likely will not be the last.
It is the first time Tony has laughed outright upon hearing it though.
I watch him for a good portion of the day before approaching him about it. “It is not with Abby but you are in a relationship.”
He smirks at me, “Yeah, I am. And you’ll find out with whom at Abby’s New Year’s Eve party. If you haven’t figured it out by midnight they’ll be the one I’m kissing when the ball drops.”
“Surely it will be obvious before that.”
“I thought you’d have figured it out before now,” Tony shrugs.
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